159. That number travelled through the crowds in a wave of whispers. Both in disbelief and doubt. Naturally the mention of cheating was quick to rise, but it was crushed as fast as it sprouted.

Even if she had cheated with the numbers, which was already an impossible task, they had all felt that explosion. At that point, fiddling with the numbers would be pointless, and there was no way any of them could come close to matching that.

The star student, the one who had challenged Valerie and had previously held the record with a score that seemed pathetic in comparison now, had not said a word for the last minute. In fact he barely made a sound, as he sat completely motionless on his knees, staring at the dummy that he had spent years of his life training against.

After that attack, it was little more than a twisted pile of metal. The explosion had torn its body apart, as explosions are prone to do, and scattered its various body parts across the training range. It was thankful that these were not needed for displaying the score, although no one else would be able to use it until it was repaired.

His entire life was shattered, and so he could not bring himself to move or speak. His boastful words felt like daggers stabbing into his heart, his previous ’achievements’ now feeling like hidden wounds of what a truly pathetic failure he had been.

Valerie’s guide scoffed at the star student, placing a firm hand on his shoulder as he squeezed it tight.

"Do you need to see anymore? Or do you understand who the beginner is here?"

"N-no Senior. I understand Senior." The student replied, his voice barely a whimper as he replied monotonously, as if on auto pilot, whilst his eyes never left the sight of Valerie’s devastation.

The guide nodded to himself, making a gesture to Valerie’s chauffeur as they moved on without another word. They trundled on, leaving the gaping and gawking students to clear up the mess and continue their training.

But it was hard for them to train when they were too busy staring at the new coming being wheeled slowly across the courtyard.

Valerie shrunk in her chair, her face bright red as she wanted nothing more than to turn into a mouse and scamper away. She should have felt proud or cocky, but she had never been good with attention, especially not this kind.

It was different when it was in game. As Belladonna she could be confident, self assured. She could be whatever she wanted, that was the appeal of role-playing games. But here she was herself.

The freak in the chair, and whilst she was used to those types of stares. These ones were different.

They were... envious of her. Looking at her like she was some kind of celebrity and whispering amongst each other not venomous jabs at her condition, but whispering rumours and speculations.

It was... disturbing and uncomfortable. To think that people like Jason and Percy were so used to this.

She could almost swear that her ’guide’ was walking slower just to make this torture last longer. But eventually, after what seemed like centuries of staring, they made their way up the stairs.

Although the stairs were long, and seemed to lead up a veritable mountain, Valerie once again glided up the steps through the expert handling of her Chauffeur as if she was going up a ramp. If that was some kind of magic, then she desperately needed to learn it.

Up and up they climbed, nearly a hundred steps and oh boy were Valerie’s legs hurting once she was at the top. Not because of the steps though, just because it was cold and she wasn’t dressed for this weather. Skinny legs don’t do well in the cold, you see.

At the top of the mountain of steps there was a Chinese pagoda, the type with the swooping overhangs that marked the three floors of the pagoda and a pointed roof at the top. This did not help her debate of whether she was actually in Asia, or whether the person who designed it just really liked the look of it all. But part of her was leaning towards her actually being in the country.

She was led into this pagoda, the first floor of which was arranged with towering bookshelves along the wall, naturally filled with books as was their entire purpose. In the centre of the room there was a wooden desk, made of actually real mahogany wood, and behind this desk sat a man.

He had salt and pepper grey hair, trimmed in a tight and fashionable style befitting a man of age, wisdom and power. Although he wore a suit, just like Valerie’s guide, this man filled his out completely.

Age did nothing to change the fact that he was made of muscles and built like an orc. In his callous hands that were worn from work he held a tablet. But what drew Valerie’s eyes the most was his face.

Behind the slight wrinkles, there were piercing blue eyes and a subtle handsomeness that was completely natural and not altered in the slightest. With a chiselled jawline dotted with a grey stubble and cheekbones most men would die for.

Sitting there, reading the information on his tablet, he looked like the modern take on a wise and noble king, with his handsomeness adding to his air of natural regalia. An air and handsomeness that Valerie found incredibly familiar.

Despite the fact she had never met this man before, she immediately knew his name.

Percival Theodora Monarch... The Third. Otherwise known as Percy’s father.

Valerie’s confusion over everything that was happening rapidly increased tenfold, as did her anxiety of what was going to happen next.

Her ’Guide’ and ’Chauffeur’ deposited Valerie in front of the desk before bowing to Percival Senior and immediately exiting the room, leaving Valerie sitting there in silence in front of him.

After nearly an entire minute, literally, of pure silence in which Valerie could hear every single beat of her heart, Percival Senior finally placed down the tablet in his hand and raised his eyes to look at Valerie.

He gave her an unimpressed once over, before speaking in a monotonous, husky voice that rumbled in his throat.

"So... I hear you have been using my house."